Yerevan

“By the greatness of the God Khaldi, Argishti, son of Menua, built this mighty stronghold in 782 BC and proclaimed it Erebuni for the glory of Biainili [Urartu] and to the fear of its enemies. Argishti says, “The land was a desert, before the great works I accomplished upon it. By the greatness of Khaldi, Argishti, son of Menua, is a mighty king, king of Biainili, and ruler of Tushpa.”

This words were written on the bazaltflagstone found in the site of former Erebuni Fortressevidencing that Yerevan is one of the oldest cities in the world. It was founded 29 years earlier than Rome.

This cuneiform inscriptionindicates that the Urartian military fortress of Erebuniwas founded in 782 BC by the orders of King Argishti I at the site of current-day Yerevan, to serve as a fort and citadel guarding against attacks from the north Caucasian tribes Skythians and Alans.

The first settlement appeared around Erebuni in the seventh AD and was called Yerevan.

In one of old documents <<GirqGrqots>> the city’s name was first mentioned as Yerevan.

According to one theory the name Yeravan derived from the king’s name Yervandthe 4-th, the founder of the city Yervandashat.

Another theory claims that the name Yerevan originated from the name Erebuni.

The stronghold was a military construction built to protect northern extreme of Ararat Plain.

But it was destroyed by Seljuk Turks in the 11th century. Now only the ruins have remained.

It has been the capital since 1918 on May 28, when the Dashnak leader Aram Manukyan proclaimed the first Armenian Democratic Republic.

At the start of the 20th century, Yerevan was a small town with a population of 30,000.